Ballad of the Fall of Beriorgan and Elenros
by boz4PM
Summary: (OCs and Elladan). Beriorgan (a Dunedan) and Elenros (an elf from Doriath) fall in an orc attack defending Beriorgan's son Tuveren.


This, like 'Love Found, Love Lost', is related to the story I am writing  
(nearly finished - will be posting soon I hope). The main character  
(Fuineth) lost her father when she was 8 and her brother (Túveren) was 14.  
This is a ballad of their father's fall.  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
The Deaths of Elenros and Beriorgan  
  
In all the tales of yore, long past,  
Are the deeds of heroes sung:  
How lovers joined or parted were;  
Or else the victory was won.  
Beyond hope was the Ring destroyed;  
And Barad-Dur cast down, o'erthrown.  
Then Middle Earth was overjoyed  
As King Elessar took his throne.  
  
And yet there are the lesser tales  
Of those who lived through such dark times:  
Heroes; their deeds unknown, unsung.  
Yet knowledge of their valour climbs  
With the cries of those they lost  
Weeping to Eru of their grief;  
Mourning loved ones now cut down,  
Whose stay here was too short, too brief.  
  
Of such a tale I now shall sing  
Of valour, strength and more besides.  
How elf and man together fought;  
How side by side they fought and died  
To protect one dear to both of them:  
A boy, a man-child barely grown,  
Who watched his father and his friend  
Fight bravely till at last brought down.  
  
One an elf of Doriath.  
Tall, noble, fair as all his race,  
Now living under Elrond's roof:  
Elenros, warrior, full of grace.  
The other a man both brave and strong  
Beriorgan of the Dúnedain,  
That noble people of the North  
Whose deeds have won them high acclaim.  
  
A hunt they fancied them that day,  
The elf accompanying man and son,  
As North they rode, with quivers full,  
The hart to find and kill e'er long.  
The man and elf had long been friends  
Had seen the child grow near a man  
And, though still young with much to learn,  
They both held hopes for Túveren.  
  
Like his father he was strong,  
Already showing skill with blade;  
From Elenros learnt to wield a bow,  
By what skills a tracker made.  
Both elf and Dúnedan him taught  
The best of all their many skills.  
They nurtured him and loved him dear  
While protecting him from evil ills.  
  
But this day of dark forebode  
Little did they ken their fate:  
That even they, two warriors bold,  
Could not protect him nor abate  
The ire, when roused, of evil orc;  
Nor stop the biting blade of steel  
Nor arrows fell all tipped with black.  
The boy knew loss then: all too real.  
  
A glade they entered, green and bright,  
Still near the beginning of their ride  
When in the shadows round about  
A sudden glint of steel espied.  
"Get down!" Elenros shouted out.  
The three dismounted from their steeds.  
As blades were drawn by man and boy  
Elenros looked towards the trees.  
  
'Yrch' and a muttered curse  
Were all that then the elf-lord said.  
Two arrows into the shadows launched  
And two yrch fell down dead.  
The three now backed toward some rocks  
That were near them to one side  
And even as they backed away  
Their frightened horses bucked and shied.  
  
As their horses fled in terror great  
The orcs came forward snarling fierce;  
But one by one now falling down  
As Elenros' arrows pierced  
Each fell and grizzled, blackened neck.  
The man, now with a mighty roar,  
Set upon them with his blade  
And three more, dead, fell to the floor.  
  
Túveren was scared but still  
His sword was strong within his grasp;  
He moved to stand beside them both.  
His father saw him. With a gasp  
He urged his son to now fall back  
And behind them both to stand;  
E'en as he spoke another yrch fell  
Caught by the swordblade in his hand.  
  
Túveren was wroth as elf  
Now repeated the same plea.  
"But I am strong enough," he cried  
"To stand and fight these foes with thee."  
But answer none their came for both  
Were busy killing evil beast:  
The hart, the ride, all now forgot -  
Such pastime mattered not the least;  
  
'Protect the boy' their only thought  
As both the warriors slew and maimed.  
But e'en as Túveren his anger cried,  
Against their warning loud complained,  
An arrow pierced his father's neck.  
The boy in shock now cried out loud;  
Saw his father on his knees  
His once strong back by pain now bowed.  
  
A hand he held toward his son  
E'n as his blood around him spilt;  
His neck was torn, his life all spent;  
By orcish arrow he now lay killed.  
Elenros heard his friend cry out,  
The boy beside his father weep,  
But still he fought the yrch horde  
Though they cut him sore and deep.  
  
E'en as he brought the last one down  
He fell, run through with orcish knife;  
His blood he spilled upon the ground  
And so at last gave up his life.  
The boy knelt there on the earth,  
Holding first his father dear  
As he begged him not to die;  
Cried to him his grief and fear.  
  
But his father answer'd not;  
Nor the elf, who now was held  
By this one who loved him dear,  
Yet like a mighty oak lay felled.  
The boy was covered with their blood:  
The elf's and his father's own.  
He felt his heart about to break;  
Fell where he was into a swoon.  
  
The horses, scared by the orcs,  
Riderless returned at last  
To Elrond's Halls. The alar'm was raised  
And sent to find them riders fast.  
The Lord's own son, Elladan,  
Found the boy, now close to death;  
Bloodied from head to toe he was,  
His face now pale and short his breath.  
  
The elf looked at the dreadful scene.  
Saw the two now fallen there  
And cried, "Ai Beriorgan, my friend!  
Ai Elenros, elf-lord fair!  
What fate is this? What loss indeed!  
That two as you should be laid low  
Protecting Túveren still a boy!  
Who will be his guidance now?"  
  
And long he wept and grieved their loss  
Till he riding brought them home  
The boy, the Dúnedan and elf:  
He searched for three and found but one.  
That one became a warrior bold,  
Though for the two his grief was long;  
Yet their bravery is fore'er preserved  
In this my tale of deeds well done. 


End file.
